Atlantic Lottery Corporation Unplugs VLTs, Closes Casinos, Racetracks

Atlantic Lottery Corporation recently implemented preventive measures striving to flatten the curve of the novel coronavirus that has taken the world by storm. Red Shores Racetrack and Casino locations in Charlottetown and Summerside ceased operation as of March 16, as to promote social distancing over the upcoming two weeks. In addition to that, the popular video lottery terminals in all four Atlantic Canada provinces were turned off.

In a quarantined world, social distancing might be the best solution to the growing concerns regarding the novel coronavirus. Experts say that flattening the curve is possible and it is the only way a country’s health system would be able to sustain itself and help as many individuals as possible. Hundreds of thousands of people are projected to contract COVID-19, but this should happen in a gradual manner.

ALC Shuts Down Casinos

Atlantic Canada has confirmed that the health situation as of March 16 is a low-risk one, but nevertheless, Prince Edward Island declared a public health emergency in relation to the growing concerns. For the time being, there has been only one confirmed case of COVID-19, but preventive measures have been implemented and some public libraries were shut down.

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Atlantic Lottery Corporation carefully monitored the dynamic situation over the past week and came up with two preventive measures to be implemented. The first one directly affects Prince Edward Island and it spells temporary shutdown of Red Shores Racetrack and Casino locations in Charlottetown and Summerside. The decision became effective on March 15 striving to make it possible for people to practice social distancing and to avoid larger gatherings.

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Projections are that in two weeks, the Crown corporation is about to reassess the situation and decide whether the shutdown should be lifted or it should remain in place for the foreseeable future. This measure is projected to protect both the individuals making their way to the casino locations and the casino staff meeting hundreds of individuals on a daily basis.

VLTs Also Unplugged

The second measure Atlantic Lottery Corporation implemented was the suspension of video lottery terminals across the four Atlantic provinces of Canada. March 15 once again saw this measure come into effect and the suspension is expected to cover the upcoming two weeks. This move is going to make it make legal in-person gambling impossible in the eastern provinces and, in turn, encourage online gaming powered by Atlantic Lottery Corporation.

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The Crown corporation also introduced proactive measures in relation to the international travelers part of the Atlantic Lottery Corporation staff. Workers returning from abroad should be placed in a 14-day work from home quarantine, to prevent the outbreak of COVID-19 and eliminate the risk of contraction. The self-isolation aligns with the two-week quarantine period implemented around the world. The office spaces are also subjected to thorough sanitizing and fortified hygiene policies.

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Only three days ago, the Crown corporation issued a statement saying that it is confident that uninterrupted services seem feasible for the time being, which only comes to show the dynamic nature of the situation. In the meantime, Nova Scotia confirmed two new presumptive cases of the novel coronavirus in the Halifax Regional Municipality, increasing them to four. Newfoundland and Labrador also confirmed the first individual to test positive for COVID-19 over the weekend.